Students at the University of Fiji’s Umanand Prasad School of Medicine and Health Sciences will receive hands-on clinical training and attachments, supervised by experienced specialists in various medical fields and hospital procedures.

This as the University signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pacific Specialist Healthcare.

It will also allow for joint academic research and a proposed pharmaceutical research collaboration.

The MOU covers a period of three-years and will mainly be executed in the PSH Hospitals facility in Nadi.

Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem says the MoU covers collaboration to integrate telemedicine into medical training and patient care.

“This means developing structured telemedicine modules for student training, allowing students and staff to observe and participate in virtual patient consultations under supervision while complying with all ethical and legal frameworks for telemedicine consultations.”

UniFiji and PSH Hospitals will also work closely together in pharmaceutical research support and clinical trials subject to the necessary legal approvals.

For the University’s nursing students, additional training will be provided by PSH Hospitals in practical, patient-centered, learning thus strengthening UniFiji’s current nursing training and, more widely, Fiji’s nursing workforce.

The founder and CEO of PSH Hospitals Parvish Kumar

She also expressed her appreciation to the founder and CEO of PSH Hospitals Parvish Kumar for reaching out to the University to offer a collaboration.

Kumar says that while traditionally medical colleges in Fiji have been associated with public hospitals in Suva or Lautoka for clinical attachments, this partnership will offer students a unique experience.

“PSH Hospitals has been spearheading the development of medicine and healthcare technologies in Fiji. We have systems and technology here in Fiji which are not available anywhere in the public sector. So, with this collaboration and this vision, your students will now get that exposure into technology and surgical procedures which is not currently available locally.”

Kumar adds that this partnership would give UniFiji students a competitive edge over others in the field.

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